Joy Ezeilo

Joy Ngozi Ezeilo is a Nigerian professor of public law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, an activist, and a six-year United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking persons in Africa. She was a former Dean and HOD of faculty of law University of Nigeria Nsukka and the founder of the Women Aid Collective (WACOL).

Early life and education Joy was born in 1966 at Enugu in Nigeria. She earned her Ph.D. in Nigeria, LLM in London LL.B. also in Nigeria BL, Diploma, Peace & Conflict Resolution in Uppsala. In Nigeria, she is the Chairperson of the Sexual Assault Referral Network (SARC), a co-chair of Africa Advisory Committee, Human Rights Watch, Africa Division, and a Council Member Human Rights Institute of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Between 2012 and 2015, Ezeilo was nominated as a Commissioner for Gender and Social Development in Enugu State. On December 19, 2023, she was appointed a member of the United Nations' Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, working alongside Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland on the mission.

Awards In 1995, Joy won British Chevening School Scholarship. In 2006, she was honoured with a Nigerian Government national honour of Officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR). In 2019, she won the National Human Rights Award and the Hon. Justice Taslim Elias Award (given to law professors who had taught for over twenty-five years in Nigerian universities). On March 5, 2022, she was honoured with the Civil Society Award of Excellence by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/ UN Women in collaboration with the Embassies of the United States of America, Germany, France, EU Delegation and the British High Commission to commemorate the International Women’s Day Awards Gala.

Personal life She is a high Chief in Igboland bestowed with the triple chieftaincy of Ochendo, Ada ejiejemba Ndi Igbo, and Nzebuna chi. She was married to the late Dr. Augustine Ezenta Ezeilo, and they have adult children and grandchildren.